Chinese-Managed CICT, H'tota Port Stay On Growth Path In 2020 Despite Pandemic Woes

Despite the pandemic woes, China Merchants Port (CMPort) Holdings Company Limited managed Colombo International Container Terminal (CICT) of the Colombo Port and multi-purpose Hambantota Port continued to remain in the growth path last year.

- Nishel Fernando

In 2020, CICT’s container throughput recorded a 1.9 percent year-on-year (YoY) growth to 2.93 million TEUs, while the overall container volumes at the Colombo Port declined by 5.2 percent YoY, thereby, resulting in an increase in market share for CICT in the year, according to CMPort and the provisional figures of the Central Bank.

In 2020, all other key terminals except for East Container Terminal (ECT), which commenced operations in October last year, posted above- mid-single-digit declines in container volumes handled. The ECT, which went into operations with the first quay wall, handled 41,741 TEUs at the end of last year.

The Hong Kong-headquartered CMPort in its annual report highlighted that CICT was able to sustain and increase its performance mainly due its focus on attracting more quality routes during the challenging year.

Moreover, CICT also maintained a 99 percent customer satisfaction in their service offerings in the year, one of the highest among subsidiaries of CMPort, reflecting a high level of efficiency and quality in its service delivery to customers.